News In Brief

Key ecology bills await Congress in homestretch

Four major environmental bills await Congress, which yesterday began its final three-week stretch before the election. Budgetary authorizations for six of the nation's seven principal environmental laws have expired, and no major antipollution laws have been enacted in this Congress, although bills reauthorizing four of the laws are near final action.

Pending are the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Clean Water Act, the Superfund hazardous waste cleanup program, and the Safe Drinking Water Act.